ABSTRACT
Ensuring equitable access to safe drinking water remains a central development challenge in rural India despite substantial public investment. JJM aims to provide FHTCs to all rural households. This study examines the determinants of functional water connection access in the Samastipur district of Bihar using primary household data collected in 2025. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 926 rural households selected through random sampling. Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were employed to identify significant predictors of access to functional tap water connections. Results indicate that 84.9 per cent of households reported having a functional JJM connection; however, access varied significantly across socio-economic groups. Regression estimates reveal that households where the head had secondary and above education were more likely to have a functional connection than households with an illiterate head. Pacca households exhibited significantly higher odds of access (OR = 1.87, p < 0.05). Households with separate kitchen were more likely to have functional connections (OR = 2.74, p < 0.01). Middle-income households showed a positive and significant association with access (OR = 1.69, p < 0.05). Although caste-based differences were observed in bivariate analysis, their effects became statistically insignificant after adjusting for education and housing characteristics, suggesting the presence of indirect pathways of inequality. The findings underscore that infrastructure expansion alone does not ensure equitable water access. Addressing socio-economic vulnerabilities through integrated interventions in education, housing, and social inclusion is essential to achieving sustainable, inclusive outcomes under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
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